Inmate early release bill becomes law

CARSON CITY -- A bill to change rules on early prisoner releases was signed into law Monday by Gov. Jim Gibbons.

Senate Bill 30 instructs judges to base decisions about inmate releases on a jail's "operational capacity" rather than the number of beds available.

Lobbyists for law enforcement agencies supported the bill, saying the current statutes on early releases are misleading and could lead to lawsuits. Current law instructs judges to base early release decisions on the number of beds in a facility, even if the beds can't be used.

Also signed was Assembly Bill 43, which gives Clark County the same access to the utility company lists that other counties now have for purposes of juror selection. Supporters said the change would ensure that a wide spectrum of people can be considered for jury selection.

A Jury Improvement Commission report in 2002 said voter registration and DMV records are the two best sources for jury pools, but a minimum of three lists should be used with the goal of reaching 80 percent of the qualified population.

Gibbons also signed:

• Assembly Bill 329, which requires regulations for nontraditional mortgage loans, such as interest-only loans and adjustable rate loans.

• Assembly Bill 2, which provides for penalties on auto repair shops that fail to get a customer's consent before going ahead with repairs that cost more than the shop's initial estimate.